Imoto
by KuroTenshi616
Summary: rated for future violence, the sister of our favorite hitokiri comes in search of her missing brother. she finds him, but there's a problem, the man slayer she once was fights her control whenever she picks up a weapon can kenshin and the gang help her?
1. Default Chapter

Konnichiwa Minna-san! This is Hikari. My first Kenshin story so please keep the flames to a minimum, enjoy!  
  
The young woman looked up at the sign over the Kamiya Dojo.  
  
She was of middle height, with long crimson hair pulled into a high ponytail. Her eyes were hard, and haunting, colored lavender. Her skin was fair, and she wore a red gi top with long flowing breeches that had once been white, but were stained off-white by dust from the road. Her palms were stripped with calluses and blister scars. She went bare-foot and her feet were dirty, and were covered with small scratches. A wooden sword was tucked into her belt.  
  
"Have I finally found you?" She whispered, in a soft mezzo-soprano voice. She pushed open the large wooden door and entered.  
  
A young boy with short, wild brown hair, and dark eyes was sweeping off the stone walk way.  
  
"Excuse me. But does a man named Himura Kenshin live here?" She asked.  
  
The boy looked up at her. "Maybe, why?" He asked suspiciously. "Who are you?" He demanded.  
  
"Uncle Ken-chan! You promised to play with us! Now come on." A small girl's voice ordered from around the corner of the dojo.  
  
"Yeah Uncle Ken-chan, you promised!" An even smaller voice echoed.  
  
"Alright, I'm coming." A man's voice replied.  
  
She paled considerably at the sound of his voice. "It is him." She murmured.  
  
Kenshin rounded the corner of the dojo, being pulled by two small girls, Ayame and Suzume. He looked up at Yahiko and the girl, his smile dropped to be replaced with a look of shock. The girl looked at him with mingled hope, and curiosity.  
  
"Ken-chan?" She asked, her voice was soft and hesitant, she had searched for ten long years following the trail of the wandering man with the red hair and cross shaped scar. And here he was, standing right in front of her.  
  
"Tsuru-chan?" He whispered hoarsely.  
  
She threw herself at him, she wrapped her arms around Kenshin, and buried her face in his shirt. "Ken-chan, it really is you. I finally found you." She said, her voice was muffled by the fabric.  
  
Kenshin released his hold on Ayame and Suzume to wrap his arms around the girl. "Tsuru-chan, you're alive." He murmured softly, "I thought you had died."  
  
"Who's she Uncle Ken-chan?" Ayame asked, curiously.  
  
The two pulled away from each other reluctantly. "Yahiko-chan, Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, this is my imoto, Himura Tsurughi." Kenshin introduced.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Minna-chan." Tsurughi said, with a polite bow.  
  
"Kenshin, you have an imoto? Why didn't you ever tell us?" Yahiko demanded.  
  
Kenshin began to reply, when the door to the dojo opened again, and a young woman, with long blue-black hair, and aqua-marine eyes entered, carrying a bag of groceries.  
  
"Minna-chan, I'm back." She said smiling. She paused when she saw Tsurughi. "Konnichiwa, who are you?" She asked.  
  
"Kaoru-san, this is my imoto, Himura Tsurughi. Tsuru-chan, this is Kamiya Kaoru-san, the assistant master of the Kamiya Kashin style." Kenshin said.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kamiya-san." Tsurughi said.  
  
"Call me Kaoru, onegai." Kaoru replied, still smiling.  
  
There was a loud banging on the closed door of the dojo. "Open up!" a man's voice ordered.  
  
Kaoru handed her bag of groceries to Yahiko, "Put those away and I'll get it." She ordered, turning to the door. Yahiko grudgingly obeyed, grumbling about the "stupid old hag".  
  
Kaoru pulled open the doors.  
  
Six, very large men stood outside the doors, all of them had katanas at their waists, blatantly ignoring the law that prohibited them from carrying such things.  
  
"Yes? Can I help you?" Kaoru asked curiously.  
  
"We're are looking for a woman named Himura Tsurughi, some people told us they saw someone that looked like her enter this dojo." The tallest said politely. "We would like to looked around if you would allow us to."  
  
"Gomen nasai, sir. But I can't let you do that." She replied.  
  
One of them grabbed her by the collar of her kimono, and lifted her clear off the ground. "You'll let us in now, wench, or pay the price." The ugliest of them, with a heavily scarred face, ordered.  
  
The other door opened, Tsurughi glared at the men. "Put her down, Kitsune- baka. I'm right here." She said coldly.  
  
The man dropped Kaoru, and advanced on Tsurughi. "Hitokiri Yureiken. It's about time we found you." He said, drawing his katana. The other men also drew theirs.  
  
Tsurughi drew her wooden blade. "Leave now, bakas. I don't want to hurt you." She said, backing up a step.  
  
"Wait a moment. Who are you? And what do you want with Tsurughi?" Kenshin demanded, stepping up beside her.  
  
"Battousai." The polite one that had first addressed Kaoru muttered.  
  
The ugly one, Kitsune, glared at him. "This is none of your concern, Battousai." He said. "Yureiken is mine, she will die by our hands."  
  
"What do you want with her?" Kaoru asked, drawing her own wooden sword.  
  
"To prove that we are some of the greatest swordsmen alive, we will defeat Hitokiri Yureiken." Kitsune replied.  
  
"Shinne!" He cried, lunging at Tsurughi, she blocked his strike easily. He growled at her, and swung his sword around again.  
  
Tsurughi thought frantically.I can't let her free, she'll kill them. I can't loose control again! She fought two battles, one with Kitsune, another with the Hitokiri Yureiken. She lost against the man slayer inside of herself.  
  
Her eyes flashed yellow, all she saw was her blade, and her opponent. Opponents must be defeated, to defeat is to kill. He must die.  
  
She blocked and swung her word up to slam into his neck, the dull crack of his spine ripped her from the control of Yureiken.  
  
Tsurughi, Kenshin, Kaoru, the children, Yahiko, and Kitsune's accomplices watched in horror as his body fell limply to the ground. His head hung loosely on his neck.  
  
"You, you killed him." A man said, shocked and afraid.  
  
"You will pay!" Another cried. They circled the body and carried it away with them.  
  
Tsurughi looked disgust at her sword. She thought. Her knees buckled under her, and she fell to the ground. Staring at her sword, wide eyed. She could almost feel the smugness from Yureiken. She hurled the sword away from her, it embedded itself in the wall surrounding the dojo. She looked at her hand, in her mind's eye, it was stained with blood. No matter how many times she told herself she had spilled the blood for a just cause, it never erased the self-loathing that came from taking the life of another. She had nightmares about her part in the rise of the Meiji Era. Each night she could vividly recount the face of every man and woman that she had ever killed. Each one always glared at her with loathing and accusing eyes.  
  
"Tsuru-chan?" Kenshin knelt beside her, and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from his touch.  
  
"Get away from me, Ken-chan. She'll kill you too." She whispered.  
  
"Who will?" Yahiko demanded.  
  
"Hitokiri Yureiken." Tsurughi replied.  
  
"Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, why don't you go seen Grandpa, okay?" Kaoru suggested. 


	2. Yureiken's story

Grrr. U people need to review!!!!!  
  
Kaoru, Yahiko, Kenshin and Tsurughi sat around the short table in the dojo. Kaoru served the tea and all eyes turned to Tsurughi.  
  
She stared down into her cup, her face was blank of all emotion. "The story of Hitokiri Yureiken," She began, she took a deep breath. "Ken-chan and I trained together in the style of Hiten Mitsurughi. When the revolution started we became Hitokiri."  
  
"Yureiken is what I was known as, just as Kenshin was the Battousai. I became the Yureiken. Equally feared by our opposition." She felt her lips turn up in a bitter smile. "I was feared even more so, I became like Genay. Killing only for the adrenaline rush that comes from the sight and smell of blood. But unlike him, I didn't give a warning before I killed.  
  
"After the revolution ended, Yureiken could find no more soldiers to kill. I began to retake control of my body. I destroyed my original katana."  
  
FLASHBACK-------  
  
Blood splattered on her face, the salty metallic scent filled her nose. The crimson liquid stained the blade of her katana. Her opponent lay in a disgraceful heap, his throat slit wide open.  
  
Tsurughi stared in horror. The scene replayed over in her head.  
  
He had been determined to kill one last Imperialist. Tsurughi, unfortunately for him, was the only Imperialist around. He had attacked her, he had been pathetically easy to disarm. He had begged for his life. He had been defenseless. She had killed him. She had killed a defenseless man.  
  
She dropped her blade.  
  
She turned and ran.  
  
She ran from the long years that she had been a man slayer, she ran from that last scene. The picture of her bloody katana, and the dead man. She ran until her breath burned her throat, and the cramp in her side felt like a stab wound. Her legs were numb. She lost all track of everything around her. She saw nothing, heard nothing, her mind was numb to everything except those images in her head and the pain.  
  
Her knees gave out beneath her, she fell into blissful unconsciousness.  
  
The cool night breeze caressing her cheek, and the sounds of the forest coming to life roused her from the abysmal darkness. She sat up, and looked around. She was in a pine grove, the half moon was rising over the tree tops.  
  
;;Hitokiri Yureiken, is that all I am? A man slayer? A murderer? ;; She wondered. She had never had time to find her true self. The only thing she knew was the sword. Her katana had been her life for years. Violence, blood, pain.  
  
Tsurughi felt a dismal feeling of hopelessness. Of being insignificant, and worthless. Not just to the people, but to herself. She was only now realizing that the true Himura Tsurughi had never actually lived. She had always been repressed by the Hitokiri Yureiken.  
  
"I'll find out who I am." She told the black shadows around her. "I'll wander until I find out who I am."  
  
-But you can never fully give up the sword- the traitorous part of her mind hissed. It was right. The sword had been her life. She couldn't give it up.  
  
"I'll use a reverse blade. I can't kill anyone with that." She said aloud. She turned and began to walk.  
  
So began the days of the wanderer, Himura Tsurughi.  
  
****************End Flashback  
  
"I heard tales of a wanderer, who looked so much like me, with a cross- shaped scar. I knew it had to be you." She said looking at Kenshin. "Up until then, I thought you had died in Kyoto."  
  
"So your wandering was so you could find out who you were?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"But how can you not know who you are? I could understand if you had amnesia or something, but," Yahiko started.  
  
"Kenshin, Kaoru, and Tsurughi exchanged glances. Yahiko was mature for his age, but there were still things he didn't understand. Things that could only be learned as you live, through time.  
  
"Will you stay here with us, Tsurughi-san?" Kaoru asked.  
  
Tsurughi shrugged. "For awhile, I suppose." She replied.  
  
"Hey minna-chan! I'm back!" A male voice shouted.  
  
"That would be Sanosuke." Kaoru said, "He's a real freeloader."  
  
"Now, Kaoru-san, that's not very kind. That it's not." Kenshin protested.  
  
;;That it's not? WHAT?;; Tsurughi wondered, looking at her oniisan.  
  
HEY PEOPLE! New chapter is out, now review dammit!  
  
Oh, FYI  
  
Yureiken-Ghost sword.  
  
Tsurughi-another word for sword.  
  
(just for the hell of it) Ken-sword Shin-heart  
  
Kenshin- Swordheart  
  
Oniisan- older brother.  
  
Minna-everyone/ guys  
  
Katana-japanese sword  
  
R&R! 


	3. Tsurughi, meet Sanosuke

Grrr. U people need to review!!!!!  
  
Tsurughi was looking curiously at Kenshin when a tall man, with wild brown hair that made him look like a rooster walked in. (Rooster-head!)  
  
"Hey, who's the new girl?" He asked, looking her over. "She looks a lot like you, Kenshin." He said.  
  
"Tsuru-chan, this is Sagara Sanosuke. Sano-chan, this is my imoto, Tsurughi." Kenshin replied.  
  
"Since when did you have a sister?" Sano asked.  
  
Tsurughi stood, "I'll see you guys later, I have something I need to do." She said, she walked out of the Dojo. She entered the crowded streets of Tokyo, and began to walk towards the Shinto shrine at the far end of town.  
  
She walked up the long flight of stairs to the shrine.  
  
Tsurughi paused at the top of the stairs, and breathed in the scent of cherry blossoms. ;;My problem is my lack of control when I fight.;; She thought. Then smirked. ;;Ironic, Sensei was always scolding me about my control. Wish I had listened then.;; She walked into the cherry tree grove to her left, and found the largest tree, with a hollow knot in the trunk. She felt inside of it. Her hand closed over the worn hilt of a katana.  
  
She pulled it out. The sheath was well worn, and aged. She drew the blade.  
  
Tsurughi examined the sleek silvery metal of the blade. The weight of the reverse blade sword was reassuring in her hand. Partially because there was no one around she could kill by accident. The shrine had been deserted several years before, and the children believed it was haunted. She had passed through Tokyo a few years before, when she had still retained her reverse blade. When word of the law against swords reached her. She had hidden it here, in this tree.  
  
She re-sheathed the blade and crouched down, her hand was poised over the hilt. (I DON"T REMEMBER THE NAME!) She closed her eyes and absorbed the tranquility around her. The birds in the trees, the sound of the wind through the leaves. The dim sounds of the city. A stream burbled nearby. A squirrel chattered to it's children, scolding.  
  
Faster than the normal human eye could see, her hand closed over the hilt and she drew the blade, slashing at a dangling leaf in front of her. The leaf gently drifted to the ground.  
  
Tsurughi sparred with herself until she could barely stand. She sheathed the katana and straightened.  
  
"How long have you been watching?" She asked the lengthening shadows.  
  
Sanosuke stepped into the dim light of the setting sun. "Awhile now. Kenshin-chan said you were good, I decided to find out for myself." He replied.  
  
Tsurughi shrugged. She wiped sweat from her forehead and started back towards the shrine.  
  
"You're faster than Kenshin-chan." Sano said.  
  
Tsurughi shrugged again. "So?"  
  
"That's pretty rare, unless they're really good, like a hitokiri from the Revolution."  
  
Tsurughi turned her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye. "Would you make your point already? You're wasting my time." She said icily.  
  
Sanosuke fumed for a moment, then leaned coolly against a tree. "Were you a hitokiri?" He asked.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"What were you called?" Sano asked.  
  
"Yureiken." Tsurughi replied, then walked down the stairs of the shrine.  
  
Sanosuke's jaw dropped. "NANI!?" He cried in shock.  
  
Hitokiri Yureiken! The Ghost sword. An manslayer, whose reputation dominated over even that of the Battousai, Oniwaban, and Shinzengumi put together. The Yureiken killed anyone that opposed her, unarmed or not. When she killed government officials, they never knew until they were dead. Her nick-name was given to her because she was so fast, that the people she killed didn't know they were in trouble till after they became ghosts.  
  
"What a minute!" Sanosuke came out of his stupor to catch up to her. "You were the Yureiken!?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"You? A girl!"  
  
Tsurughi gave him an icy glare. "You have a problem with women?" She asked coldly.  
  
"Iie!" Sano replied quickly. "Not against women in particular, but I never thought that the most famous Hitokiri of the revolution was a woman." Sanosuke said, raising his hands in defense.  
  
REVIEW NOW!!!! 


	4. The Villain enters

I finally updated! I'm not completely hopeless! R&R peeps!  
  
Tsurughi stayed at the Kamiya dojo for several weeks. And she proved to be quite the opposite of her older brother. For a start, she had absolutely no talent with children, Ayame and Suzume adored playing with Kenshin, but not Tsurughi. She did what she could to help around the dojo, mainly cleaning, she wasn't allowed anywhere near the kitchen for good reason, to put it bluntly Yahiko claimed her cooking was worse than Kaoru's. Everyday she would vanish from the dojo to the old shrine to train. Mostly it was meditation, to work on her control.  
  
But this wouldn't be much of a story if something exciting didn't happen, now would it?  
  
Shadows, yes, he liked shadows. Shadows were kind to him, they didn't hurt him, they hid him. He liked very few things, he loved nothing. He had no one to love him, and had no one to give love to. He spent his days in his attic room at the inn, as long as he did nothing illegal and paid his bill, he was allowed to stay. And stay he did, gazing out the window at the dusty streets. Filled with the gabble of these Japanese savages.  
  
Oh he hated them, hated their refusal to admit that the Europeans were superior, the war had ended ten years ago, but the savages that still opposed the Western ways still lived. That should not have been allowed. They should have died, should have been slaughtered like the beasts they were.  
  
His wild gaze swept the street, and froze, his eyes fell on a red haired female, with lavender eyes. ;;the Battousai?;; He thought, and he looked closer, ;;No, it's a female heathen, no scar, the Yureiken then.;; He thought, rage burned him.  
  
;;That, that, creature!;; He thought, fingering the black patch over his left eye, she had done this to him! She had taken his left eye, she had taken his honor, she was the reason he stayed in this rancid country. He couldn't face his peers at home, he had been beaten by a FEMALE. A weak little girl.  
  
His fist clenched. Oh she would feel every bit of suffering she had put him through, she would know what it felt like to have your honor and pride ripped from her.  
  
"You will pay, Hitokiri Yureiken, Tsurughi Himura." He said, his gravelly voice livid with hate.  
  
I know, short chapter, but more is coming soon, I hope, R&R people 


	5. Enter the Pawns

I hope this chapter will make up for my pathetically short one last time, R&R peeps!  
  
He stared at the team of assassins before him, Shinogami, hopefully they were as competent as their predecessors, the Shinzengumi, at eliminating problems.  
  
The Deceiver, a boyishly handsome man, he charmed his prey into his bed, then killed them where they were out of sight, and out of sound. He was known for luring his prey into a false sense of security, his boyishly innocent features assisted him in seeming like everyone's best friend. His name was Damashi.  
  
The Chemist, an ancient, withered hag, she was always in the shadows, mixing her poisons. She could create any poison known to humanity, she could kill swiftly and silently, or grant a slow, agonizing death. She was much sought after by politicians who wished to remove their enemies, through a seemingly natural death. She was called Yodoku.  
  
The Soldier, a tall muscular man, he was the strongest of the Shinogami, his strength was his contribution, he could break a man's neck with barely a tap, he took care of unwanted attention, usually by intimidation, he was large enough that people rarely wanted to mess with him. He served as the front man, during an assassination, the people looked at him, and he was a distraction, to cover up the real problem. His name was Kin'niku.  
  
The Brain, was a small, pockmarked man, he was the most intelligent of the group by way of tactics and strategy. He was the one that thought up ways to slip a victim's poison into his food, he was the one who chose how best to handle their jobs. He studied the floor plans for the mansions of politicians and discovered the best ways to infiltrate them. His name was Sakusen.  
  
The Shadow, a small, silent man, he was the one who killed their victims from the darkness, he infiltrated the mansions of politicians and killed them swiftly and silently, no one knew what had happened until after the body was found. No one, not even his own partners knew what he truly looked like. He was called Nazo.  
  
The Leader, a burly man with piercing gaze, he handled the jobs given to the group, he determined the prices, and the methods of carrying out the jobs, like who would do the killing. He had assembled this group, and managed it with an iron fist. The would-be mutineers were no longer among the living. He was named Taisa.  
  
"The contract?" Taisa asked. Holding out his hand.  
  
He placed the paper in Taisa's callused palm. Taisa read it swiftly.  
  
It stated the pay for each member of the Shinogami, 50,000 yen, and the date by which the job had to be done. Also that if they were caught, He would deny any contact should they give his name. (Basically, if they get busted, they're on their own)  
  
Taisa nodded, and passed the contract to the others, they read it, and nodded their agreement. Taisa took the brush and ink, and sketched the characters for Shinogami. He returned the contract to Him, and he signed it as well, John Almsley.  
  
"You're certain you can kill this bitch?" Almsley asked.  
  
"Of course. The Yureiken is known for her sword work, but not her intelligence, deception should be easy," He glanced at Damashi, "Though, if that fails, poisons should work perfectly." He nodded to Yodoku.  
  
"And if you are underestimating her?"  
  
"The five of us are not untrained, we can handle any weapon given to us, she is not a match for all of us at once." Taisa said, confidently.  
  
Almsley looked over the group once more. His one good eye had failed to notice that even the old hag was wiry with muscle at their first meeting. His eye found the dagger in Damashi's coat, a poisoned hair pin in Yodoku's hair, the short sword in Sakusen's jacket, the shuriken in Nazo's belt, and the katana hidden under Taisa's formal kimono. Kin'niku needed no weapons, he was formidable enough on his own.  
  
He nodded curtly. "I wish you luck." He said. The Shinogami nodded to him, and left.  
  
Almsley turned back to his window, he felt DISGUSTING, he was actually hiring a band of heathen mercenaries to do this?! Their filth clung to him like smoke, it was like a nasty underlying stench that could not be got rid of. He had TOUCHED the same paper as that, that, barbarian! With a grunt of disgust, he tossed the contract into the brazier at his side. Of course he had no intention of paying them, after they got the job done, he would kill them himself. He had a revolver. But such a quick death was no suited to the Yureiken. She must feel pain, she must feel the hag's poison twine through her body, eating away at her insides. She must suffer.  
  
He began to giggle to himself. It was perfect! Not only would he be rid of that bitch's presence, but also he would take out a few more heathens while he was at it! He was so brilliant.  
  
::Brilliant John! Simply perfect!:: A voice echoed in his mind.  
  
"Yes, I know." He said, grinning.  
  
(yes, he has little voices in his head.)  
  
Several miles away, Tsurughi obliviously assisted Yahiko in his chores, currently she was helping him polish the dojo floor.  
  
"Tsurughi-san?" He asked.  
  
"Hai?" She replied, looking up from the shining wooden floor.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"You just did, but you can ask another, I won't promise that I'll answer though." She replied.  
  
Yahiko growled to himself about stupid adults who always had to complicate things. "Where do you disappear to everyday?"  
  
Tsurughi froze, then continued her polishing in silence. Yahiko sat back on his heels and glared at her. "Well? Where do you go?" He demanded sharply.  
  
Tsurughi looked at him. "I told you I might not answer." She said, as though she were speaking to a small child who failed to comprehend what she was saying.  
  
Yahiko glared at her, partially hoping that his gaze would make her burst into flames, or something. Anything besides make her turn away to hide a smile.  
  
Well, that was a little better. 


	6. Let the games begin

"Tsurughi-san," Kaoru emerged from the dojo's center courtyard into the front yard. Tsurughi sat cross-legged on the porch with a book held in her hands. She didn't even twitch when Kaoru said her name again. Kaoru knelt down beside her, and studied Tsurughi's face, her lavender eyes were riveted on the pages in front of her.  
  
"Tsurughi-san? Hello? Any one home?" Kaoru tapped her shoulder, she still didn't budge. Kaoru scowled at her and poked her again, harder.  
  
"Huh?" Tsurughi looked up in surprise. Her eyes flashed gold then back to lavender.  
  
Kaoru sweat dropped. "I called you three times and you didn't hear me." She said, with a lopsided smile.  
  
"Oh, gomen Kaoru-san. I have a habit of zoning out when I'm reading." Tsurughi murmured apologetically. She closed the fat novel and tucked it into her gi.  
  
"What are you reading?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"It's called 'The Tale of Genji' by Shikibu Murasaki-sama." (I DON'T OWN THIS)  
  
"Really? Any good?"  
  
"Yes, it's very interesting. Any way, what did you need me for?"  
  
"Oh, that's right! Would you mind picking up some tofu? I can't find Kenshin, otherwise I'd send him." Kaoru said, standing.  
  
Tsurughi nodded she stood as well. "Sure, I'll be back in a while." Tsurughi waved to Kaoru and left the dojo compound.  
  
CHANGE OF POV  
  
Taisa and Damashi watched as the red haired woman left the dojo, their eyes were cold and calculating.  
  
"Am I just trying to be her friend, or am I trying to get into her bed?" Damashi asked licking his dry lips.  
  
Taisa shook his head. "Whichever you prefer. Just get it done." He replied.  
  
"Yes sir." Damashi gave his leader a quick salute, and slipped from their hiding place to trail the young woman.  
  
POV CHANGE  
  
Tsurughi paid for the brick of Tofu and started carefully back to the dojo.  
  
She passed through the light afternoon crowd, paying scant attention to her direction. She dodged around several rowdy little boys and their frantic mothers, only to bump into a man. The tofu slipped from her grasp, two hands reached for the air borne bowl, and caught it.  
  
Tsurughi looked up at the man she had bumped into. He couldn't be much older than her. With black hair that shaded his amber brown eyes, and a round handsome face. Boyish mischief danced in his features.  
  
"Arigato sir." She muttered, reclaiming the bowl.  
  
"You're very welcome, Lady." He replied warmly. He smiled at her. "May I walk you home Lady?" He asked, bowing in the European style.  
  
Tsurughi blinked. "Why would you want to do that?" She blurted out.  
  
"I wish to gaze at your exotic features for a while longer." He replied, with a melodramatic tone and a light flourish. ;; And I'm not quite lying either;; He thought to himself. Her features WERE exotic. Very few people who were born Japanese had flame red hair. And none had lavender eyes. Apart from the Battousai.  
  
"Um, I suppose so," Tsurughi replied slowly, her tone sounded exactly as she felt ;;WHAT?;; Being an ex-hitokiri, she had no idea what flirting was. In that she was the same as her brother, dumb as a brick in the romance department.  
  
"So, what's the Lady's name?" He asked.  
  
"Tsurughi." She replied shortly.  
  
"I'm called Taka." He said, smiling. "Where do you live, Tsurughi-sama?" He asked.  
  
"Here." She ducked into the dojo with a hurried 'Sayonara'.  
  
Kaoru and Megumi were standing just inside the door. Both had mischievous, "fox" looks on their faces.  
  
"Does Little Tsuru-chan have a crush?" Megumi asked, with a little laugh.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Come on! That guy has a crush on you!" Kaoru exclaimed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"A crush! He likes you!" Megumi said, with her little 'hohoho' laugh. "You're as hopeless as Ken-san." She said.  
  
Tsurughi just shook her head. Times like these were when those two started talking a whole nother language she had never even heard.  
  
Okay, pathetic I know, deal with it.  
  
The Tale of Genji is an actual novel written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu during the Feudal era. It's been named the world's first novel. (HAH! In your face chauvinistic assholes! ;p ) 


End file.
